Penguins Right to Move on From Evgeni Malkin After 2025 Season Amid NHL Rumors

Evgeni Malkin is one of the best players of his generation, a future Hall of Famer, three-time Stanley Cup winner, seven-time All-Star, Con Smythe trophy winner, Hart Memorial trophy winner, and Ted Lindsay Award winner.

With Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, he helped guide the Pittsburgh Penguins back to championship relevance and starred in one of the greatest eras of hockey in the city's rich history.

Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported that, "While it remains unclear if future Hall of Fame center will retire following the 2025-26 season, the Penguins are not expected to offer him another contract with the franchise, sources within the organization said."

Despite all of his accomplishments and everything that he has meant to the team and the city, the Penguins are right to move on from him after the 2025-26 season.

Malkin is still a solid player with veteran awareness and instinct, but he is not the era-defining one he was at the height of his play. His 50 points in 2024-25 were his lowest since an injury-plagued 2021-22 season cost him half of the year. His +/- of -24 was the second-worst of his career and his 17:47 of ice time was the lowest since the COVID pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

The downward trend of his on-ice play is reflected in Pittsburgh's recent success, or lack thereof.

The Penguins have not won a playoff series since 2018 and have not made the postseason in the last three years, sparking a concentrated effort to promote a youth movement within the organization.

While Malkin still resembles the game-changer of years ago from time-to-time, bringing him back on a new deal at age 40, even with the unwavering respect and appreciation the Penguins may have for him, does not make sense. Even less so given the apparent depth issues the Penguins have, with lack of quality difference-makers beyond the first line.

The veteran center has expressed that he does not want to play anywhere else but Pittsburgh, opening up the possibility that he retires rather than continuing his NHL career. How the end of his time with the Penguins comes to a close may ultimately dictate whether that sentiment rings true or if he does seek another Stanley Cup elsewhere.

Regardless, the Pittsburgh and Malkin are headed toward one last season together and in the case of the team, it is an unenviable, though justified decision.